sub-

under; up from under; subordinate or lesser

Forms

sub-
suc- — Used before c in Latin.
suf- — Used before f in Latin.
sug- — Used before g in Latin.
sum- — Used before m in Latin.
sup- — Used before p in Latin.
sur- — Used before r in Latin.
su- — Used before s in some Latin compounds.
sus- — A historical Latin variant associated with the longer form subs-.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *upo, ‘under; up from below.’

Note

An upward action can start underneath something, so ‘under’ and ‘up’ need not conflict.

84 / 86

noun

suspicion

suh-SPISH-uhn/səˈspɪʃn/

A feeling that something may be true or wrong without firm proof.

The torn bag and concealed object arouse the shopper's suspicion of the nearby stranger.

A shopper narrows their eyes at a torn bag and a nearby stranger hiding something behind their back, sensing that something may be wrong.

Etymology

susLatinunder; up from under; subordinate or lesser

+picLatinlook

+ionLatinan action, process, or result

The underlying verb meant “look up at,” but the link to mistrust seems to be looking secretly or askance. Suspicion extends that distrust to an unverified feeling that something is wrong or merely possible.

In context

Chen Qiufan2:05

You cautiously step out on the street for the first time, eyeing the passers-by with suspicion.

Chen Qiufan: A sci-fi vision of life in 2041 | TED

Helen Marriage3:06

Curiosity had triumphed over suspicion, and delight had banished anxiety.

Art that transforms cities into playgrounds of the imagination | Helen Marriage

More examples

Her sudden silence arouses my suspicion.
The missing money puts every employee under suspicion.
We share a suspicion that the meeting will be canceled.

Forms

suspicion · suspicions

suspect verb — To believe something without firm proof.

suspicious adjective — Feeling or causing doubt or mistrust.

Similar words

hunch: Suggests an intuitive feeling rather than concern about wrongdoing.
doubt: Emphasizes uncertainty rather than belief that something is true.
mistrust: Emphasizes a lack of confidence in someone's honesty or reliability.